Sunday, February 13, 2011

As previously explained, Patch, my non-runner friend is going to pace me at P2P. As you can tell from the elevation map this race is brutal, but let's specifically look at Patch's likeliness to actually make it to a designated spot. First of all he has ran, but would not be considered a runner. He is athletic, but wouldn't be confused as a track athlete if found wondering around on a college campus.

For pacers you have 3 options: mile 65-83, mile 83-100, or mile 65-100. As you can tell from the elevation map (good christ!), all of those are brutal.

Option 1; mile 65-83 is from 7500 feet, the highest point in the race, to 3000 ft. Pretty much 18 miles of down hill running, descending a total of 4500 feet, somebody pray for my knees.

Option 2; mile 83 - 100, not so easy either. At mile 83 you are at 3000 ft. then you go up to 7000 ft. in just 7 miles and then for the last 10 miles of the race a descent to cry about, from 7000 ft. down to 2000 ft. So in review for Option 2, ascend 4000 ft. followed by descending 5000 ft. over the last 17 miles of the "race".

Option 3 = Option 1 + Option 2.

Now just when you are thinking how crazy stupid tough Option 3 is, remember if Patch chooses option 3, he will be joining me after doing this kind of dance for 65 miles already. Concerns about a pacer included many things, but they can help out so well in so many different ways. This so far is a dangerous proposition because if he isn't ready for that brutal incline and declines, he could be worse off than I am, or I could perceive it that way and waste energy being concerned about him regardless. And to boot, a big part of the job of the pacer is to be babysitting me, being that it will be pitch black in the middle of a vast wilderness at that point and I may be borderline delirious or full blown emotionally trashed.

So let the bidding begin, what do you think Patch will be able to do and what do you think this proud bear of a man will take on? At this point the ex high school defensive end has not had much time for working out and has not ran more than maybe 10 miles or so before I believe.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Second week of working extra early wore me out, just need more sleep than that. Was getting up at 3:45 to run into work and then getting home at 6PM, and the whole day I was on my feet of course. Anywho, I was tired and didn't run except at the gym during the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl. And yes, I was wearing my Packer T mi padre sent me, thanks Pa!

On a side note Patch (a non-running friend) has decided he is pacing me for the P2P race and is excited. Kid has no idea what he is getting into, but it will be entertaining:)